In an interview with Libero, he equated Bales’s selfishness to playing a man down.

He said:

“Bale doesn’t take part in the game, for possibly for five minutes he is around the edges of a game but he doesn’t participate, and then suddenly he sprints to come back.

“With him, it is sometimes like playing with 10 players. He is very individualistic.”

For a selfish player, his stats don’t make bad reading.

He has played a career total of 486 games, scored 165 goals and has 137 assists.

Since arriving at Real Madrid, his goal and assist ratio to games is at its best.

For Los Blancos, he has played 238 games, scored 104 with 67 assists.

Toshack was also critical of Bale’s injury record.

He believes the player style of play and certain techniques he uses in the game can cause injury.

He added:

“I remember one day, against Croatia or Greece.”

“We had a free-kick on the right-wing and Bale runs up at the right side of the ball and ‘pam’, with the outside of his boot.”

“I said to him: ‘Hey Gareth, take care with this [technique]. Ligaments, cartilages, take care.”

“We had another free-kick and he did exactly the same, but it resulted in a goal and I said: ‘See, do what you want!’.”

“But I’ve seen Bale injured, and many times I think these [injuries] are related to this.”

In the past nine seasons, Bale has sustained 25 injuries, keeping him out of action for a total of 538 days.

Having said that he has also won four Champions Leagues, and a La Liga title too.

Bale is statistically no more selfish than any other goal-hungry centre-forward.

His injuries are so varied in type and location, it is hard to pinpoint a specific cause.

Would Toshack be so publically critical if he was still his player?

CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 09: Wales full back Gareth Bale listens to manager John Toshack during Wales training at the Millennium Stadium on October 9 2006 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Be sure not to miss out on the latest news about Wales

Download our brand new App and follow your favorite players, clubs, and much more